Band anchoring means for tank cars



July 26,1932. c. c. MEADOWS 1,868,841

BAND ANCHORING MEANS FOR TANK CARS Filed Dec. 5, 1930 g 1/ W z I A? Q g I v a Z. a I? a Patented July 26, 1932 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAUDE o. MEADOWS, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR- or ONE-HALF 'ro srAn nY r.

' BnAsLnY, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA BAND ANCHORING MEANS FOR TANK CARS Application filed December 3, 1930. Serial No. 499,645. a

This invention relates to improvements in band anchoring means for tank cars.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple and efiicient means for anchoring bands which hold the tank member of railway tank cars in position, wherein the anchoring means compensates for temperature changes and loosening of the bands produced by vibratory action and sudden shocks, thereby at all times maintaining the bands in tight condition.

Another object of the inventionis to provide anchoring means of the character specified in the preceding paragraph including means for maintaining the bands under tension at all times, thereby constantly holding the same in tightly embracing relation with the tank, thus minimizing the danger ofslippage or drifting of the. bands with respect.

to the tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for anchoring the b ands oftank cars including an anchoring plate fixed to the car structure proper through which plate the ends of the band extend, and spring meansfor holding said bands under tension, interposed between the anchoring plate andstopmeans secured to the free ends of the band.

A more specific object of the invention is 0 to provide means of the character-indicated in the preceding paragraph, wherein the means for anchoring the bands and maintaining the same under tension is so designed that it may be applied to standard tank bands without alteration or change in the latter, and

replaces the anchoring nuts employed in connection with such bands.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following,

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view through the underframe structureof the tank car, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the tank of the car. also being shown in vertical section, and Figure 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view through the anchoring plate of'my improved construction showing in connection therewith one end portion of the band-and the cooperating means for maintaining the same under tension.

In said drawing, 10- -10 designates the usual channel shaped center sills of the underframe Y structure of the car. The sills have the usual laterally extending running board supports 1l 11 secured thereto, the running boards which are supported by the members 11 being indicated by 121 2. vThe tank of thecar is designated by 13 and is fixedly supported on the draft sills 10 by means of a composite saddle meniber of well known construction. The saddle member comprisesthe usual plate 15 having downturned side edge liiortions which engage over the draftsillsand brackets secured to the downturned portions andalso secured to the bottom of the tank memben A In carrying out my invention, I provide a plurality of tank bands, one of which shown inthe drawing and indicated by 14, which embrace the tank and are anchoredto the car u'nderframe. The tankband has the free endportions thereof thickened, as indicated at 1616, as most clearly shown in Figure 2, said thickened portion being of sub stantially cylindrical cross section and threaded at the outer'end, as indicated at 17 A tank .band anchor plate or bracket 18 is Socured to the bottom flanges of the draftsills 10+10, as clearly shown in Figure l. The anchoring banduor plate has downwardly inclined flange portions 19-19 at opposite sides thereof, through which the free end portions I tio n 22 with acylindricalboss 23projecting inwardly therefrom. The flange portion 22 is of hexagonal outline so as to cooperate with a wrench member in the usual manner. I The nut is provided with a threaded opening 24 extending entirely therethrough, as clearly indicated in Figure 2. A helical; spring 25 is interposed between the flange 22 of each i at nut and the opposed flange 19 of the tank band anchoring plate 18.

As will be evident, when the band 1 1 is anchored by the nut members 21, bearing on the sprin s 25, the entire band is placed under tension. In this connection, it is pointed out that the springs 2525 are of such a length that they are placed under initial compres sion when the nut members are screwed onto the ends of the band. In case of lengthening of the band members, the springs 2525 will draw the same tight so as to bear on the surface of the tank member with suflicient pressure to prevent relative slippage between the band and the tank. In this manner, eX- pansion and contraction of the metal parts of the car, the tank proper and the bands is taken care of in accordance with changes in temperature, the yielding spring means cooperating with the nut members on the ends of the band compensating for differences in length of the band. Further, looseness of the bands due to vibrations and shocks imparted to the tank and other parts of the carin service is entirely eliminated by the springs immediately drawing the bands tight upon the slightest looseness occurring.

It is further pointed out that by providing the special design of nut having the boss 23, which engages within the coils of the spring 25, a spring of sufiicient length to function properly may be employed without the necessity of elongating the band members so as to accommodate the springs in combination with an ordinary nut on the free end of the band. In this manner, my improvements may be employed in connection with standard tank bands which have been previously installed on tank cars without any change, e. cepting the addition of the springs and the nuts 21-21. By employing the improved arrangement of spring pressednut, the combination functions in the manner of a locking means to prevent accidental disengagement of the nut from the threaded end of the band. The springs 25. which are under initial compression. bear on the nuts with sufficient pressure to create frictional resistance between the threads of the nut and the end of the band which will )revent accidental turnin of the nut on said threaded end, thereby providing in effect a nut locking means; By my present improvements, in addition to providing a band which will compensate for looseness of the parts, the employment of lock nuts for holding the anchoring nuts in position is also entirely eliminated.

- I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: 1. In a tank car, the combination with the underframe structure of a car; of a tank supported on said underframe; abutment means on said underframe structure; a band extending over the top and about the sides of said tank and having the ends thereof extending through said abutment means; stop means fixed to the free ends of said band; and a spring member interposed'between each stop means and the corresponding abutment means.

2. In a tank car, the combination with the underframe structure of a car; of a tank supported on said underframe; spaced abutment means on said underframe structure below said tank; a band extending about said tank and having the opposite ends thereof respectively extending through said spaced abutment means; a nut secured to each end of the band, said nut having a flange laterally projecting therefrom; a spring interposed between the flange of each nut and each of said abutment means, said springs beingunder initial compression.

3. In tank car, the combination with the underframe structure of a car; of a tank supported on said underframe; abutment means on said underframe structure; a band embracing said tank and having the ends thereof extending through said abutment means; a nut secured to each end of the band, saidnut having a threaded portion and a peripheral, laterally projecting flange; and a spring interposed between said flange and the abutment means, said threaded portion of the nut extending into said spring.

4. In a tank car, the combination with the underframe structure of a car; of a tank supported on said underframe; abutment means on said underframe structure; a band embracing said tank and having-the ends thereof extending through said abutment means; a nut having a cylindrical boss-like portion and an outer, laterally projecting peripheral flange extending therefrom, said boss-like portion being threaded on the corresponding end of the band; and a spring interposed between said flange and abutment, and surrounding said boss-like portion.

5. In a tank car, the combination with the underfrarne structure of a car; of a tank supported on said underframe; abutment means on said underframe structure; a band embracing said tank and having the ends thereof extending through said abutment means; a

nut threaded on each end of the band; a

spring surrounding eachthreaded end of the band and bearing on said abutment, each nut having the threaded portion thereof accommodated within the coils of the corresponding spring; and a lateral, peripheral flange on said nut bearing on the corresponding end of the spring.

6. In a tank car, the combination with the underframe structure of a car; of abutment means on said underframe structure at opposite sides thereof; a tank supported on said underframe structure; a band looped about said tank and extending over the top and around the sides thereof so as to embrace the same, the opposite ends of said band extending downwardly beyond the bottom of said tank and through said abutment means; re-

taining members fixed to the ends of said band; and a yielding cushioning element interposed between each abutment means and the corresponding retaining means for maintaining said band under tension and in tight embracing relation with respect to said tank.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of November, 1930.

CLAUDE G MEADOWS. 

